monster_hunter_sandboxfandomcom-20200214-history
Akantor Ecology
In-Game Information A wyvern truly wrapped in mystery. Known to some as the black god and to others as the tyrant of fire, this large and brutal creature is known to the Guild simply as Akantor... Taxonomy Order:Saurischia- Suborder:Dragon Feet- Family:Akantor. Due to its large size and appearance, it is often mistaken for an Elder Dragon. However, it is instead a very large Quadrupedal Wyvern, carrying a similar tail, forearm, and upper skull structure to that of a Tigrex. Akantor share numerous features with their ancestors, the Origin Wyverns. Habitat Range It is evident that an Akantor's bodily functions thrive in areas exhibiting a very high temperature, making the Volcanoes, Battleground, Lava Island and Lava Canyon a suitable home for such a creature. It is stated that they will roam freely to areas such as the Snowy Mountains but are confined to the Volcanic Belt by a good portion of the Hunters Guild's collective might. Most likely, they deplete an area's large prey and predator population before moving on to another region. Akantor seem to be capable of surviving in almost any region, even the colder arctic zones where it has been confirmed Akantor's closest living relative, Ukanlos dwell. Akantors have also been reported in the Jungle during thunderstorms and some areas during extreme droughts. Ecological Niche Akantor are top predators: nothing else, except a Fatalis, appears large or powerful enough to prey on them in the Volcanoes. They are so powerful, they can have extremely negative effects on the environment they reside in. Predator and prey flee from Akantors and only the largest wyverns and Elder Dragons even dare challenge them. The ecology video demonstrates this admirably, showing an Akantor withstand a direct blast from a Gravios heat beam, then killing the Rock Wyvern in a single blow. It is unknown whether these beasts have challenged Elder Dragons, although from the looks of it, only Elder Dragons like Alatreon, Crimson Fatalis, Disufiroa or Dire Miralis could realistically drive off or kill an Akantor. Akantor are a keystone species: the environment can only support a few individuals, yet said individuals have a disproportionately great influence on their environment. They seem to be at the top of the tropic pyramid, and vast amounts of biological energy and matter would be needed to sustain just one individual. It would seem that Akantors can out compete most other species competing for the same niche; however, their great size may limit them to larger prey. The Akantor found in the Moga region of the New World would need to feed on the large brute monsters known as Uragaan due to the fact that Gravios are not indigenous to this particular region. Biological Adaptations The average size of an adult Akantor is approximately 3049cm. An Akantor's dark black shells are perfectly suited to the volcanic belt. They can burrow into the lava and stay there for a short period of time due to having thick plating. The large spikes on their backs are very sturdy and firm, but not completely devoid of movement; said spikes can be seen slightly moving when the creature exerts powerful movements. They also help deter any airborne attacks. An Akantor's famous tusks are equally effective at burrowing into dense lava as they are at gutting and killing a large wyvern. Akantors also possess a thick, spiked tail, which appears to have little to do with the creature's balance. Since an Akantor's body is relatively close to the ground and they balance on all fours, the creature's large tail appears to do little but drag behind the behemoths. Akantors' tails do make for a useful weapons, however, being capable of knocking several smaller creatures off their feet at once. It's unknown if the tail has a great effect on an Akantor's performance when burrowing underground, as this behavior is obviously very difficult to observe. Once the beast is heavily provoked, their skin appears to crack, revealing a lava-like glow and their blood rushes to their front feet and head. This is most likely similar to the condition that other wyverns who walk on all fours appear to possess. When the creatures begin to overexert themselves, their blood pressure greatly rises, revealing large blood vessels around various regions of the body. This allows for greater oxygen flow to the extremities, but will quickly deplete the creatures immediate energy reserves. However, the benefits of the temporary boost of strength and speed caused by this physical exertion often outweighs the long-term risks of such strain on the monster's cardiovascular system. Akantors have very small, vestigial wings on the side of their forearms; however, unlike the Tigrex's, they can't be used to fly. They appear to have been slowly devolving away, as they are too heavy to be capable of flight. Akantor have the ability to scream a roar attack capable of making unusual black colored rings in the air. Some extra rare individuals have abilities more common Akantor do not along with a different appearance; including blue tinted body, blue mouth and glowing blue eyes. It also has unique abilities such as standing on its hind legs and roaring into the air causing overlapping rings of black in the air around its body so condensed it appears covered in black for a moment. It also causes unusual lava explosions wherever it digs, these explosions burst up in large spirals of lava. How it does these is unknown. Behavior Akantor are highly aggressive and predatory - they are shown to be more than capable of taking down a Gravios. They will attack and kill almost anything on sight, often letting out a deafening roar before charging head on. When not actively hunting or in combat, Akantors still appear aggressive, destroying whatever bothers them as they travel their destinations. Akantors have most likely developed a complacency due in part to the fact that they are nearly invincible on a monster to monster basis. The hunter's guild fear that if an Akantor were to travel to the Snowy Mountains its presence would gain the attention of Ukanlos, thus causing the two juggernauts to go on a path of destruction. Category:Monster Ecology